Frederick says, "My, what an appetite! I'll make some tall stacks of everything, for the table." Noting Potty's interest in mushrooms, Frederick reveals his prized ingredient: He dramatically lifts a cloth to unveil a pale, round object. The others might mistake it for a large wheel of cheese or a colossal spongecake, but Potty recognizes it for what it is: a disc-shaped cross-section, sliced from an enormous puffball. Frederick uses a device like a wire cheese cutter to shave off thin slices, which he spins in the air like pizza dough and slaps onto the hot griddle. As the puffball crepes sizzle, Frederick begins grating potatoes and onions. "I like to grate them fresh for every batch. The veggies get mushy if you let them sit out," he says to no one in particular.

Meanwhile Douglas replies to Dougal the Black: "Rough day? It's been an emotional roller coaster!" (Except with his busted-up mouth, "emotional roller coaster" sounds more like "immusshimmal mowwer moshhhter.") "Who knew adventuring could be so... OW!" (He cuts off abruptly as Fiona kicks him under the table.) "I mean, yeah. What a day." The last of his keen-wah pancakes is all mushy from soaking in maple syrup. He takes a big bite, and the conversation trails off into awkward chewing sounds.

Douglas looks like he has something to say, but Fiona hisses, "First Rule, Douglas!" and cuts him off. "Look... you Hobbets seem... nice... but we we don't, like, know you. No offense, but you look like you fell out of a turnip cart. Frederick is the Top Hobbet around here, so unless he says you're in the Club, I'm totally not going to tell you the story..." and then she trails off, mumbling to herself under her breath, "of how I, like, burned off my eyebrows in a daredevil blaze of glory."

("That was rad!" whispers Douglas.)

At that moment, Frederick VIII arrives carrying a tray of mugs. Frederick shoots a quick glance at Fiona and Douglas, something passes unsaid between them, and they instantly stop talking with a sheepish look on their faces. Frederick serves everyone a cup steaming with a brown, savory beverage. "Dandelion 'coffee.' Harvested the dandelions myself," he explains. "So, what's the word? What brings you young Hobbets to Hornpipe?"